Stormtroopers go to the Art Side (pictures)

Famous artists, including Damien Hirst, put their unique marks on a series of "Star Wars" Stormtropper helmets.

Read Less

R2-D2 morphs into a Stormtrooper

The Dark Side and the Light Side come together in one Stormtrooper helmet that morphs from a regular trooper into the head of R2-D2. Artist Matt Farina created the piece, which could be seen as a commentary on the dual nature of good and evil, a sort of ying-yang symbol for the "Star Wars" set. This artwork is part of the Art Wars collection that turns artists loose on the blank canvas of a Stormtrooper helmet.

Stormtrooper gets Andy Warhol treatment

Street artist Mr. Brainwash (real name Thierry Guetta) created this piece, titled "Campbell's Condensed Trooper Spray." This is what might have happened if Andy Warhol had been given a Stormtrooper helmet to decorate. The helmet is part of a larger collection of customized helmets created by a variety of artists.

Show me the money

A Stormtrooper helmet slathered in Darth Vader money is one of a dozen pieces of artwork on display as part of Art Wars, a project that challenges artists to decorate Stormtrooper helmets cast in acrylic from original molds. This piece was created by Bran Symondson and might lead viewers to consider the many ways in which "Star Wars" has been commercialized. It is titled "Dark Side of the Dollar."

Blinged out Stormtrooper

Artist Ben Moore is one of the founders of Art Wars, a project that allows artists to redecorate Stormtrooper helmets. Moore created this piece in 2010 by encrusting a helmet with 6,000 Swarovski Xilion rose crystals. It is displayed on a revolving table to show off the bling on all sides. It is titled "StormOffSki."

Damien Hirst's polka-dot vision

Well-known pop artist Damien Hirst contributed this polka-dotted Stormtrooper helmet to the Art Wars project. The bright circles of color stand in contrast to the stark white and black of the helmet. It looks like it came from a fantasy alternate universe where the Dark Side is a lot more colorful.

Posing with a lace helmet

Artist Joana Vasconcelos poses with the lace-covered Stormtrooper helmet she created for Art Wars. The floral images contrast with the cold, hard, killing-machine reputation of Darth Vader's army, but it still maintains the stark black and white contrast of the original helmet. This piece is titled "Crochet Vader."

Stormtrooper comes up roses

Antony Micallef covered his Stormtrooper helmet in a pleasant blue undercoat before dotting it with pastel flowers. This piece, titled "Peace Keeper," is part of the Art Wars project. Micallef is one of many artists to contribute a customized artwork using a helmet cast from the molds for the original "Star Wars" movie.

Peace, love, and Stormtroopers

D*Face is an English street artist known for his multimedia approach. He created this helmet, called "Stop War," using 1960s hippy-style imagery. Bright colors and a peace sign give it a whole new meaning. If there were ever a peace movement among the Stormtrooper army, this would probably be the headgear of choice.

Top hat Stormtrooper

A red top hat worn at a jaunty angle tops this piece by David Bailey. "Haitian Witch Doctor" gives the Stormtrooper helmet an odd voodoo feel. You can just imagine what the matching armor might look like. Bailey painted this piece for Art Wars, a project started by artist Ben Moore and Stormtrooper designer Andrew Ainsworth. It was recently on exhibit at a gallery in London.

Stick a pitchfork in it

Artist Hayden Keys sits with his contribution to the Art Wars, a project that invites artists to customize Stormtrooper helmets. This work, called "May the fork be with you," embedded a pitchfork into the top of the classic helmet. This is what might happen if the Dark Side ever tried to invade FarmVille.

Stormtrooper goes racing

Artist Jason Brooks took a Stormtrooper helmet and repurposed it as a racing helmet, complete with sponsorship decals from companies like Kenwood and Marlborough. The sporty yellow background is quite a departure from the usual Stormtrooper white. Titled "Ayrton," this piece is part of the Art Wars collection of artist-designed helmets made from original molds.